Leeds United endured a bruising afternoon at Elland Road as Arsenal swept them aside 4–0, moving seven points clear at the summit of the Premier League.
A first-half strike from Martin Zubimendi, followed by an unfortunate own goal from Karl Darlow, left the Gunners firmly in control at the interval with a two-goal cushion in West Yorkshire.
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There was a brief spell of resistance from Leeds after the restart. Still, Viktor Gyokeres’ goal on 69 minutes effectively killed the contest, before Gabriel Jesus rounded off the scoring late on to underline Arsenal’s dominance.
For the Whites, this is a display best forgotten quickly, with focus now turning to ensuring the heavy defeat does not derail their battle to remain in the Premier League.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shares his honest take on the win over Leeds
Arteta has lavished praise on his league-leading Arsenal team and insisted that a 4-0 win for an away side against Leeds at Elland Road is a rarity.
He indicated that this is not going to happen again for some time, and his Gunners team deserves all the credit for producing such an emphatic performance.
The Arsenal boss loved the way his players dominated the game and showed character, resilience and quality to sweep aside Leeds at Elland Road.
He said on Match of the Day: “To win 4-0 here is very difficult, let’s see when the next time that happens.
“Big credit to the boys.
“The team showed a real dominance, resilience, character and obviously quality. I really liked the attitude of the team.”
Daniel Farke has a job to do next week
Leeds United were never expected to get the better of Arsenal, even with their strong home form, but few could have foreseen such a heavy 4–0 defeat at Elland Road.
Stung by last weekend’s home loss to Manchester United, the league leaders were eager to make a statement, and it was Leeds who felt the full force of Arsenal’s response.
While results against sides of Arsenal’s calibre are unlikely to define Leeds’ season, performances of this nature can leave a mark on squad morale if not addressed quickly.
Daniel Farke must ensure his players consign this display to the bin and refocus immediately on the challenges ahead.
A home victory against Nottingham Forest next Friday night would go a long way towards lifting the mood and restoring the optimism that has been dented by today’s defeat.